


Am I a Monster?

by Blue_Night_Blossom



Series: Hakoda and the Southern Water Tribe are Oblivious to his Children's Shenanigans [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 04:00:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28700316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Night_Blossom/pseuds/Blue_Night_Blossom
Summary: Sokka and Katara are in Caldera City Royal Palace when a messenger tells them that the Southern Water Tribe had been seen near the capital. They go and meet them with the agreement to not talk about them being Team Avatar members because they needed to prepare their father psycologically.
Relationships: Eventual Zuko/Sokka
Series: Hakoda and the Southern Water Tribe are Oblivious to his Children's Shenanigans [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2103786
Comments: 36
Kudos: 114





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> In this UA (Universe Alterations) Hakoda doesn't know that his children took part in the war, never mind being part of Team Avatar.  
> It was supposed to be a fluffy and fun fic, but it took a dark turn that i wasn't expecting. Well, it reflects my emotional state at the moment, so it shouldn't be so surprising.  
> It hasn't been edited nor spell checked, so sorry if i make any mistakes.
> 
> I hope you like it.

The Southern Water Tribe was celebrating Fire Lord Ozai’s defeat on the hands of Team Avatar and the end of the war. Chief Hakoda had received a letter from the future Firelord, a child of seventeen, who had helped Avatar Aang in defeating his sister and Father.

There were many legends depicting the war and Team Avatar’s adventures, and he was curious about what was the truth and what was only hearsay, because Voak, one of the youngest warriors with only twenty years of age was obsessed with every bit of information he could find, especially of Team Avatar’s strategist, a non-bender with a sword as black as night.

Every warrior knew his rants of the greatness of the Strategist and the Waterbender, and sometimes the Avatar and the Earthbender. They could repeat it in their sleep, that’s why they took turns listening to him if he had new data or if some traveller had said something that contrasted with some known information.

The Southern Water Tribe warriors were going to the Fire Nation, wanting to sign the peace treaty with the Fire Lord, hoping that Voak didn’t faint at the sight of one of Team Avatar’s members. The days were blended together, with no war that meant that they needn’t to fight, but they were cautious because there still were Ozai supporters out there. They always protected the camp with deadly traps and two soldiers held guard.

Then came the surprise. The day started normally, or so Hakoda thought. Bato was beside him like always, his men were waking up and a delicious smell was in the air. Hakoda’s stomach rumbled and walked in the direction of the fire, where Katara was making breakfast…

Katara was making breakfast??!! Hakoda pinched himself several times with the same results, it was real. He looked for Sokka, because if his daughter was here his brother shouldn’t be far. He found him next to Voak, who was sleeping _in his turn to watch for intruders!_

He breathed in an out several times, his children were here after two years without seeing them, but they sneaked into camp so easily… There were only two options; they were getting slow and lowering their guard or his children had become better than them.

That didn’t matter in that particular moment, because Hakoda forgot his hunger and hugged his daughter hard, and she returned in kind. Everyone missed Sokka tensing and relaxing at seeing that it was only Hakoda. The youngest man didn’t waste time and approached, receiving the same treatment.

“What are you two doing here?” Hakoda started the interrogation when everyone was sitting in a circle with a bowl of food. The younger warriors had jumped Sokka the second the Chief had released him and started talking at the same time. That was the puzzling part, because Sokka had raised a hand in the stop motion and had muttered a “quiet” barely above a whisper and everyone had listened, but they didn’t comment. “You should be in the South Pole.”

“We found a bender that took Katara to the North Pole so she could learn waterbending.” Sokka’s voice was full of pride for his sister. Hakoda sighed, they were too similar to himself and his late wife.

“At least tell me you didn’t find trouble while going to the other side of the world.” Everyone expected a quick ‘no’ and having to force the answers out of them, but Sokka had predicted that and blinded himself accordingly. 

Katara and he had talked previously and it was obvious that they couldn’t tell them they were part of Team Avatar because his father might as well have a heart attack and who knew what other member’s reactions could be, so they decided telling an edited version of events so as to not arouse suspicion.

“We encountered some firebenders, but we could best them, nothing too complicated.” Katara chose her words with caution but it wasn’t noticed. Time in Zuko’s Court had made him experts in politics, Sokka more than her but she could hold her ground in the viper’s nest. “Then we helped in the war a little.”

No one noticed Sokka wincing at her mistake, because they didn’t help _a little_ , they carried the whole war on their back. Now he had two options: contradict her and make it seem like boasting or stay quiet in agreement. Sokka calculated quickly and chose staying quiet.

“You must have been scared, war is not pretty.” Bato said, looking intently at the children for signs of distress, but found none. However, Katara’s mind was replaying the Last Agni Kai and Hama’s defeat and Sokka was recalling his last fight, a broken leg, desperation, hopelessness and terror with Toph dangling into nothingness.

Hakoda looked at his left, where Sokka was sitting. He was proud of him, he was already a man, a warrior, he could tell. He was ready for the challenge of dodging icebergs. Katara had grown, and now used a gentle hand instead of being bossy at her brother. Their relationship had changed a lot, Hakoda could tell, but had been for the better.

“We were scared, sometimes…” Sokka asked Bato’s rhetorical question with the truth. Not everything was scary, they had wonderful times with the Gaang and the White Lotus (at the end of the war). That didn’t change that they were traumatised people, traumatised _children_ , but they were each other’s support.

The warriors exchanged a look, that was not the Sokka they knew, the person they knew would claim not to know fear and boast his victories. This Sokka was not boisterous, at least not now, and was opening himself with his emotions. They didn’t expect the children to be the same, but they were too different… 

There was no denying that some things stayed the same, the way that Katara nagged Sokka to eat like a person _(‘Let me be Katara, now no one cares about this!’)_ but there were other things, such as Sokka collecting the bowls to clean them in the river, something that Katara could do a lot easier with waterbending. When confronted Sokka argued that it was his turn to do the dishes and Katara’s time to collect firewood and that they did it that way.

The days passed in a routine, but the children were surprising everyone with things that they had no use of knowing. Katara knew that Tenaq had to widen his stance if he wanted to hit Bato in the evening trainings and Sokka seemed to have memorized Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom etiquette and was helping Hakoda in drafting the treaties in a way that insulted no one.

The changes were evident, the way that they would jump when someone startled them, the most minimum noise putting them alert, the way that they never got out of each other’s sights… it was undoubtable, they had fought in the war.

They tried to make them talk about their experience by telling them what had happened in the two years when the Avatar was still trapped in the ice, and they seemed to absorb the knowledge and read between the lines, because after the story where Bato had to be left behind because of his wounded shoulder, Katara dragged him not so gently to the river and healed him better. Sokka had snorted at that, so it was a normal occurrence. But from that day they got even more valuable information. They had not been fighting alone. Sokka had glanced behind him seemingly to comment on Bato’s treatment and stopped halfway.

They would have more information if Sokka trained with them, but Katara had been adamant. Absolutely no training till his leg got better. They focused on Sokka’s leg and evidently, he was limping a little. No one had noticed, but the next day he was offered an ostrich-horse (one that they used as pack mule) and he vehemently opposed. Katara seemed resigned at losing the argument, so they let the topic drop.

They had almost finished their tales and the children had not said a word about their adventures, just to comment if they had been somewhere, like Kyoshi Island.

That day was where things started getting weird. It had been a miracle that Voak had not uttered a single word about Team Avatar during all that, but at the mention of Kyoshi Island his resistance crumbled and started in a rant about the mightiness of the warriors and their important position to end the war. The warriors looked for surprise in the faces of the children, but instead they saw amusement and pride. Sometimes Sokka would frown and mutter something to Katara and she would laugh, but nothing else.

“If he is a fan of the Kyoshi warriors let him be.” That was the only piece of the conversation that they heard. “He will meet them soon enough in Caldera Palace.” And more snickers.

Sokka and Katara listened to Voak almost condescending, as if they already knew everything. It was confirmed when Voak said something about their weapons and Sokka snorted, telling him that they also used swords apart from their fans. Voak wanted to start an argument defending his point of view, but he saw that it wouldn’t reach anywhere so he didn’t even start it.

They hunted for food and, because Sokka was still not allowed to hunt or fight, he helped preparing the spoils for eating later in the evening. That had changed too, his movements were precise, but he had a care in there that wasn’t there before. He did it without hesitation but gently at the same time, respecting the animal and frowned when some of the men just left the carcass there when it had no more use. The look in the boy was dark, as if remembering something painful, and he took the time to clean the carcass and give use to everything the animal gave them.

They sat down to eat, Sokka and Katara goofing around, comfortable with them but something was amiss. They seemed cautious, like they were entering dangerous territory. The warriors were trying to make them talk and were ignorant that the children knew that. They weren’t going to fall into that trap, they had a lot of experience in the viper’s nest to fall for that simple trick.

Sokka and Katara knew that Aang was going to appear soon and thus they were going to be mentioned one way or another, and counting the things that Voak told them about the Kyoshi Warriors, some of it was going to be completely false.

They talked about how the rumours started, the Avatar was back, frozen in ice for a hundred years, a peaceful monk who had trained hard to master the elements before Sozin’s Comet. How they had been contacted by Team Avatar’s Strategist, along with the Foggy Swamp Tribe, the Gan Jin Tribe and the Zhang Tribe (they were united after a long rivalry) and the refugees of the Northern Air Temple, who had a Mechanist that made possible the Strategist’s ideas for the submarines and googles, and the whole plan of the Invasion.

How they had managed to escape without being captured they didn’t know, but what they knew was that it had been thanks to Team Avatar. Katara saw Sokka biting his lip and she wanted to hug him, because he knew that the Invasion was still a sore spot for him even when Zuko of all people had marvelled at his intelligence several times.

“Then the Comet came and we saw war balloons going towards the Earth Kingdom,” Hakoda’s eyes darkened at telling the story, remembering the fear that had encompassed his tribe at seeing the fleet. “We thought that it was going to be the end… at it was.”

“Suddenly we saw one of them charging at the others and we knew that someone on our side was there.” Bato kept going, not looking at anything in particular. “We never discovered the full story, but it must have taken a lot of bravery to accomplish that…”

“Three people sneaked into a warship and took control of it. They ended up being separated.” Katara decided to give them the information. “The Strategist and the Earthbender went one way, being chased by firebenders. The Earthbender… the Earthbender almost fell, but the Strategist caught her just in time. He had broken his leg and she was dangling above the Earth Kingdom with almost no possibility to survive. Firebenders surrounded them, but he threw his weapons and managed to defeat them. They were losing all hope when the leader of the Kyoshi warriors arrived and saved them. They took control of the warship and the rest is history.”

The warriors were speechless at the tale, so they didn’t even see Sokka’s expression, full of grief and fear. Katara didn’t want his brother to be like that, but she also didn’t want him to be pestered with questions, so she just asked a question herself.

“So you didn’t know this?” Katara was surprised, because she was sure that Zuko sent an overview of the last war effort, but maybe he had not mentioned them? It didn’t matter in the long run.

“No, we didn’t. It makes sense…” Tenaq mused out loud. “The Waterbender and the Firelord were fighting Princess Azula and the Avatar was fighting the Phoenix King, so only those three remained.”

“They stopped a whole fleet of warships crawling with firebenders…” The admiration in Hakoda’s voice was obvious and Sokka squirmed uncomfortably, still not over the nightmares. 

“They are on a whole new level…” Bato looked at the fire while Katara disguised a proud beam as admiration, that wasn’t less true.

“Not right now Voak.” Tenaq interrupted, not wanting to hear yet _another_ rant about the greatness of Team Avatar. Voak closed his mouth in defeat, but perked right up with a smirk.

“Want to hear a legend?” He was answered with nods, because he was one of the best storytellers in the tribe. Storytelling was an art, one that every warrior honed with his own battles or legends.

“Better than listening about Team Avatar’s adventures…” Katara muttered, making Sokka snort a little but otherwise still feeling down.

“There is a legend that started not so long ago, but is the most feared one. It depicts a dark figure with an equal sword. If he chooses to show you his sword… then you don’t have much time. Your seconds are numbered, you don’t expect to live much longer. The only exception is if he wants information for you and it’s even worse. He won’t stop, mainly because the information normally is to benefit another. He does not do it for selfish reasons.” Voak smiled with adoration and Sokka felt that he was going to be sick. He didn’t understand how he could admire a person like that, and it seemed that everyone in his tribe agreed. “No one escapes him, if he has his eyes on you… then you better prepare because he will find you.”

“That’s dark.” Katara commented, but she was already thinking of the fastest way to contact Aang, because if a rogue spirit was causing such destruction… But they needed more information, and luckily his brother knew how to ask questions.

“Does everyone that see the sword die? Then how do they know the legend? Does the spirit target the innocent or only kills people who have hurt others?” Sokka’s brain was going a mile a minute and missed the glances that the warriors gave each other, but Katara didn’t and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Hakoda shook his head, his son was still a boy if he thought that it was a spirit the one who killed people. However, the next question took them by surprise. “Why do you admire him?”

“Because he is a protector.” Sokka stopped analysing the data, he had to change the results, because _that_ made more sense. In the tribe, family was everyone, and they valued protectors, considered them indispensable. “He doesn’t let people hurt anyone he cares about. He is not ruthless, he doesn’t kill on a whim, he calculates _everything_.”

“He is not ruthless? You have told me the contrary.” Sokka gave up and decided to analyse everything after the conversation, because he kept changing the data, and thus the results.

“No, he is not ruthless.” Hakoda looked at his son in his eyes to make sure the message stuck. “But dangerous? That man redefines the word.” 

“So he is not a spirit.” At the affirmative, Katara relaxed a little, because he knew that Aang had his reservations in going a lot into the Spirit World (He still did it, but he was cautious when he wasn’t there with Hei-Bai)

“He is not a spirit, he is a man.” Voak smiled, having successfully tricked everyone into hearing a rant about the Strategist. Obviously, the warriors were familiarised enough with his rants that they understood who he was talking to immediately, but Sokka and Katara didn’t. It was cute in a way, seeing their worried faces, it had been a while since they had seen them, since they left the South Pole actually. “One that I admire deeply.”

“Haven’t you guessed yet?” Tenaq asked chuckling. “It’s normal if you don’t, but we knew the second he started talking about the sword.”

“Stop messing with them.” Hakoda was smiling, but was still not over how innocent Sokka and Katara still were, not knowing the little fact that they were acquaintances with the most dangerous people on the world and if someone was causing chaos they would probably know soon. “Besides, Voak is exaggerating, those are only legends.”

“And if you encountered the sword you would…” Bato teased Hakoda accompanied with a friendly punch in the shoulder.

“Run in the other direction like my life depended on it, yeah.” Hakoda wasn’t ashamed to have common sense. “But I’m still sure I won’t have it at my throat anytime soon.”

“Whose sword?” The question was expected, but what was not was the calculating manner in which it was delivered.

“I forgot that Voak’s behaviour has been exemplary.” The warriors laughed at the joke. “He hasn’t uttered a word about Team Avatar if you don’t include the Kyoshi Warriors.”

“He is obsessed with the Waterbender and the Strategist.” Bato explained the children, and then teased Voak. “We still aren’t sure of letting him go with us to meet the Firelord and the Avatar, because he most likely will faint.”

“And how that has to do with the sword?” Sokka knew he needed a vital place of information, but Katara had already connected the dots and put a hand in front of her mouth so as to not let out a laugh, and the warriors mistook it as shock.

“Looks like Katara already knows.” Voak teased, knowing how Sokka hated being outsmarted by his little sister. Sokka, for his part, didn’t raise to the bait and only spared a glance to know that it had surprised her but it wasn’t bad.

“Your point?” Voak felt Sokka’s eyes pry his very soul and hid his gulp with a quick laugh that got stuck in his throat.

“Ehhh… the legends are exaggerated?” Voak was dubious, and Sokka raised an eyebrow and Voak knew that he hadn’t believed him. Heck, he didn’t even sound convincing to himself!

“You don’t really believe that, don’t you?” Sokka’s tone was curt and polite, no one could deny it, but there was an undercurrent of command behind that and it seemed like Voak was the only one who noticed. Well, and Katara, because she was looking at him with a knowing smile that could pass for a polite one.

“Alright, we should go to sleep and continue in the morning.” Hakoda, like everyone, was curious (and very amused) at Sokka’s new way of gaining information. “We need to keep going towards Caldera City.”

“Can I, at least, know why everyone is emphasising the sword?” Sokka knew that if he had that piece he would finish the puzzle and everything would be clear. “Seems a little unfair not giving me at least that clue.”

“That’s fair.” Bato looked at Hakoda for confirmation, but stopped at Katara’s glare. He was about to open his mouth to ask but she manhandled Sokka towards his bedroll and sat him down. “The sword is the same colour as the place it came from. Some say it’s a gift from a spirit.”

Sokka frowned, he hadn’t heard about sword of any colours except… his space sword.

Sokka was suddenly grateful for Katara’s nagging, because at her insistence he hadn’t trained with the warriors and by default he hadn’t unsheathed his sword. Black as the space it came from, gift from Yue.

He rationally knew he was entering a state of shock, because he didn’t know any legends that circulated out there about himself (or the Gaang, for that matter), but never in his wildest dreams he had…

“They really think is true?” Katara whispered, between shocked and amused, but honestly curious. Sokka was too far away to hear anything, too horrified by his portrayal of a killer. That night he tossed and turned, sleep evading him. He normally would offer himself to stay guarding the camp but at this state he knew that he wasn’t going to do a good job.

Yue’s rays passed the clouds and shined on him, managing to lull him to sleep, but unable to ward him of his nightmares, only that this time wasn’t of letting Toph fall, or Toph changed with Katara or any member of the Gaang, but in a city.

He was outside the walls of Ba Sing Se, sword and boomerang in hand. Somehow he knew that the Gaang and his Tribe was captured inside. He stepped in the outer ring, cutting everyone that didn’t get away from him soon enough. He saw Jet being one of many people being cut down in his quest to get to his family. The bodies were piling themselves around him. Making piles and piles of innocents at his feet. Then the piles changed, no longer were they without a face, but he recognised his dad, Bato, Gran-Gran, Master Piandao, the other members of the White Lotus, the Kyoshi Warriors, The Mechanist, Theo, Huu, Tenaq, Voak, Mai, Ty Lee, Yue… every single person he cared about. Then the piles moved and Sokka wished he could turn back time. There, in the middle of the square, was Toph’s body with a black sword stuck in her stomach. He looked down and his sword wasn’t there. Then Toph changed to Zuko, eyes open as if saying _I’m sorry, Sokka_. 

A tear went down Sokka’s cheek, and it opened the dam, because then was Suki with a look of betrayal in his makeup-free face. Then it got worse. Aang, the little brother he never had, sitting in a meditation pose, clearly beheaded. He heard a scream behind him and turned around. He saw Katara with his sword in her hand, tears in her face, looking at him with horror and disgust. She looked at all the people that Sokka cared about that they were no more and with a swift motion she left Sokka alone surrounded by a pile of bodies.

He screamed himself awake.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should have been studying instead of writing, but I wanted the plot bunny out of my head.

Hakoda woke up in the early hours of the morning, that in itself wasn’t unusual, but his son’s screams were. He jumped out of his bedroll and he ran towards him. Katara was already hugging him when he arrived where his children were sleeping, a little apart from the rest. He saw Katara comforting him in a practised manner and he wondered how many nightmares did Sokka have.

“Don’t leave me! Katara! Please… don’t leave me!” Sokka’s voice was full of pain and sadness. He was desperately hugging Katara, begging her to stay and don’t leave him. Hakoda realised that his son not once had said his name. And he knew the reason, because he had already left once.

He glared at the warriors that had reunited to watch his son, he may be not be able to soothe him but he very well could give him a little privacy. Bato stepped next to him and put a hand on his shoulder. Hakoda leaned a little bit but he stayed focused on Sokka’s face. His face was pained and destroyed in a way that he had only seen in old warriors.

Everyone made it seem as if Sokka waking them up had never happened, but Sokka knew. He had known that everyone was watching him, that dad had approached, then Bato had comforted dad while the other warriors let them be. He _knew_ when people were watching him and that had been very useful when protecting his Firelordiness, but now it only made him uncomfortable.

Katara smiled at her brother, after several reassurances she had managed to liberate herself from him and start packing camp. Sokka started helping her mechanically. Hakoda watched them, trying to see any differences but came out empty handed.

After several hours walking they stopped in an area surrounded by trees and made camp and the children were tasked with finding water, something not too difficult considering Katara was a waterbender. The warriors started unpacking the supplies and finding firewood, but then it happened. A scream was heard through the forest from the direction where Sokka and Katara had gone. Hakoda didn’t waste any time, knowing that some of his warriors would be behind him. When they arrived at a clearing they stopped on their tracks. Eight bandits laid on the ground clearly dead, by sword or something really sharp that he couldn’t identify. Hakoda looked at a particular body, a man that had suffered a would-be-fatal wound if not treated immediately. He was the one screaming. Hakoda lowered his swords, momentarily stunned, his children were safe, but someone had killed those men and his children were alone.

He was about to tell Novrak and Voak to stay with him and Bato and Tenaq to go looking for his children when Sokka and Katara appeared with water above their heads. They barely spared a glance at the dead bodies, but Sokka looked at the man that was on the floor with an unreadable expression and turned around.

“Kill me!” The man spoke, clearly desperate. “Please kill me!”

“You tried to rape my sister. That’s something I can’t forgive.” Sokka’s voice was commanding, Voak noticed, and this time wasn’t hidden by politeness like last night. This was the voice of a warrior, a leader, and the rest of the warriors noticed.

“Sokka.” Katara’s voice was calm, not noticing the shock that rippled through the warriors with her indifferent voice. “We need to return; we need to give the others water.”

“I know.” Sokka’s voice was conflicted, and it was clear. He breathed deeply and looked at the wounded man with indecision in his eyes. “Katara…”

“I’ll go and tell dad that you need a moment, don’t worry.” Katara pecked Sokka’s cheek and went to the camp, knowing that his brother didn’t want company at that moment. 

“You don’t want to kill me.” The man was surprised. “You protected her from the immediate threats and nothing more.”

“There’s no victory here, just lives lost. For her I would do it in an instant.” Sokka’s voice was hard but pained. “If to keep her safe I have to become a monster then I will.”

“Why don’t you kill me?” The man knew he was dying, but first he wanted to know what was going through that boy’s head. They seemed like an easy target, but they had transformed into demons the second they had attacked. He hadn’t seen the sword that had injured him.

“Because you can’t defend yourself.” The honest answer took everyone by surprise and the man looked at his killer’s eyes and saw something that wasn’t fit for a battlefield. He saw determination and devotion, for his sister, that was a given, but he saw pain, death and fear of something. “And I’m not yet there.”

“There?” The man was honestly curious, his pain was spiking and winced.

”It doesn’t matter.” The boy waved his hand as if downplaying everything. “You’re dying, I injured you, and the least I can do it’s accompany you in your final moments, no one deserved to die alone.”

The warriors were speechless and Hakoda was rooted to the spot. Sokka never lowered his guard but was doing what he said. His face was respectful and Hakoda couldn’t even think about how he could do that when Katara would have been raped by those men.

The man died soon and Sokka’s mask broke. He sat down in a tree root and put his head between his knees, hugging them towards his chest. Hakoda didn’t know what to do, but Bato grabbed his upper arm and guided him gently towards his camp.

They arrived without issue and the warriors that stayed behind saw with confusion how the Chief just sat down in a log next to the fire. Bato shook his head and took over training. Katara was nowhere to be seen, but according to the tribe she had gone to the river again to clean herself.

When Sokka returned he noticed that his father was in a pensive mood and sat down next to him, not willing to train with the warriors now that he knew that they would recognize his sword in an instant. Dinner was also a quiet affair, with Katara snuggling towards her brother in an effort to ward off the cold.

“Missing Zuko, are we?” Sokka teased between whispers, thinking of the heat that he irradiated in cold nights like these, ignoring that he missed him too.

“No, but you seem to be sighing quite a lot when mentioning him.” Katara hadn’t missed the way Sokka smiled when a certain firebender was mentioned.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Katara, I do not miss him.” Sokka huffed, but he knew that his sister hadn’t believed him in the slightest. Wonderful.

Everyone went to bed and his father offered himself for first watch and he did the same, wanting to talk with someone. Time passed, and when Sokka deemed it safe that everyone was asleep he tried to talk, but words didn’t leave his throat. He tried again, this time succeeding.

“Hey, dad… can I ask you something?” Sokka was so worried that his father wouldn’t take him seriously, that he miscalculated. Everyone was awake and, even though they didn’t want to snoop, it was impossible not to.

“Of course, Sokka.” Hakoda was happy his son was opening up to him, but also couldn’t shake the feeling in his stomach that he wasn’t going to like the question.

“Am I a monster?” Sokka’s voice was small, and Hakoda had to do a double take at that. He couldn’t believe that his son… His son had just killed several men today protecting his sister, and had accompanied another in his final moments. It was a heart-breaking question, one that he didn’t know where to start.

“No Sokka, you’re not a monster.” Hakoda tried to think about something to say that didn’t imply that he was spying on him that evening, but came up blank. “You are a warrior.”

“How am I supposed to know when I’ve crossed the line from being a warrior to being a monster?” Sokka tried to stay strong, he really did, but it was too much. The horror of realising that everyone’s first impression of him would be of a killer, those legends depicturing him as a revenge seeking person so it was no surprise that his voice trembled when he asked the next question. “How can you tell, dad?”

“I…” Hakoda was floored at his son’s voice. It seemed that he was three years old again, asking him if he was bad because he had thrown snowballs at Katara. But the reality was different and in front of him was a sixteen tear old teenager that had killed several people wondering if he wasn’t there yet. Hakoda had an epiphany and cursed himself. Maybe _there_ was referring to being a monster and… killing an unarmed person? “Sokka…”

“How do _you_ know I haven’t become a monster?” Sokka interrupted and hid his head in his knees for the second time that day and wished he had talked with Aang or Zuko. It would be easier because they had been with him in all his journey and his father hadn’t.

“Do you want to know how I know you are not a monster?” Hakoda’s voice was gentle, as if speaking to a spooked animal and Sokka marvelled at the irony of it, because he sometimes talked to Zuko like that when he doubted himself as a leader of the Fire Nation. “Because a monster wouldn’t feel remorse, a monster wouldn’t ask me that. A monster wouldn’t have even noticed and carried on killing. _That’s_ ” when you become the monster Sokka.”

“But…” Sokka tried to interrupt, but Hakoda didn’t let him.

“When you lose your way completely and you lose sight of what matters and why you fight. When you start cherishing the fight, the battle, the blood. That’s when you become a monster, because monsters _don’t care_.”

Sokka looked at his hands, and Hakoda imagined that he was relieving his battles. He didn’t know how many but they impacted him more than appeared at first sight. He went to hug him but his son evaded him. Hakoda froze, not sure what to do. The self-hate he saw on Sokka’s face broke his heart and hugged him again, this time not letting him go. He felt how he tensed like a bowstring and suddenly deflated and broke down crying.

Hakoda kept holding his child, wondering how much pain was inside him and hoped that he would heal soon, but he knew that it was going to be a long process. He ran one hand through his hair till he fell asleep, thinking that the Moon seemed to shine on Sokka like he was protected. That night Sokka slept without nightmares.

In her bedroll, Katara’s soul ached for her brother and wanting to hug him and wash away all the pain and suffering, buy she knew it was not possible.

The next few days, the warriors treat Sokka as if he was made of glass. He hated it. The only relief was Katara, that was normal around him, if not a little more affection behind all the banter. 

The evenings were all the same, but Voak had foregone filters and the only things he talked about was Team Avatar. Sokka was sick of it. It painted him in a heroic light. He wasn’t a hero; he only did what he had to do to save the people he cared about. He had made it clear that he didn’t want to listen to those stories, but Voak just had to talk non-stop. Spirits, he was worse than Aang when he drank the tea in General Fong’s Fort!

Two days after the conversation with Hakoda, Sokka just snapped. He was listening to one of the warriors’ harder victories before the Avatar with interest, but then Voak entered the conversation and jumped through topics till reaching Sokka’s least favourite one. Himself.

“Would it kill you to not speak about that for two days?!” Sokka closed his mouth the second the words were out and breathed deeply. He couldn’t afford to lose control like that, and he knew that his voice had taken the ‘commander tone’, which was bad for his secret. He forced himself to calm down like Aang taught him and apologised in a quiet voice. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that…”

“No worries…” Voak squeaked. He didn’t tell anyone, but he was a little intimidated by the Sokka he saw when his mask cracked a little. He saw a dangerous man, one that he didn’t want to get on his bad list.

“Why do you care?” Tenaq asked curiously. He remembered the little boy who got into trouble for wanting to learn to hunt before his time. He was only found when he fell off a mountain of snow in front of them with his boomerang clutched into one hand. “I mean, if this is about the Strategist, Sokka, he is a good man, everything he is done is to protect those he cares about.

“But what if he gets out of control?” Sokka’s voice was full of grief. “What if for reaching someone he cares about condemns a whole village? Lots of innocents?”

“Sokka, is it about him or about you?” Bato asked, not noticing Katara’s wince and her subsequent scooting closer to her brother.

“Is it any different?” Sokka laughed without humour and looked at every member in the eye, daring to contradict him. “What if I’m already a monster?”

There was silence for a long while, everyone thinking how to answer that question, but no one predicted the answer.

“For instances, my boyfriend would certainly admonish you for thinking of yourself that way, Toph would train with you till you were so tired that the idea of you being a monster would not pass through your head, Suki, Mai and Ty Lee would ambush you and make you regret your thoughts and Sparky would drag you towards his uncle to see if his proverbs would help and then brew you a cup of tea.” Katara heard Sokka’s snort and smiled happy that he was a little better.

”Very in character.” Sokka laughed with her and for one moment nothing mattered.

The warriors were stunned, for they now knew that Sokka and Katara hadn’t fought alone, but they didn’t let out any additional information in the open and it was frustrating. They realised that they hadn’t heard Sokka laugh till now. Hakoda looked at him sadly, not knowing what to do.

“Imagine what they would say, how would they react if they heard you speak of yourself that way.” Katara leaned even more towards him, so much that she was using Sokka as a pillow but he didn’t mind. Sokka welcomed the heat, thinking about another body that emanated even more heat.

Aang would hug him and reassure him that he wasn’t a monster and would go an extra mile to give examples as to why; Toph would punch him in the arm and after beating some sense into him she would listen and then give some advice that would make him feel better. Suki, Mai and Ty Lee would give him examples of their lives and would ask why he didn’t think _they_ were the monsters because they did far worse things. And Zuko… Zuko would drag him towards the training grounds and spar with him, and after that they would go to his chambers and talk their heart out to the other. They would fall asleep and the next morning they would go to Uncle Iroh to have tea and maybe even Master Piandao if Zuko was particularly worried about him.

The warriors saw how Sokka relaxed and leaned towards Katara too and looked at each other, as if they were sharing a secret. They didn’t utter a word for the rest of the night while the Southern Water Tribe members mulled over all the lifelong friends the children had made.

Hakoda started telling a story, hesitantly skipping the strategist’s deeds, but now Sokka looked more uncomfortable then afraid and Hakoda counted that as a win. Novrak, one of the oldest warriors and designated healer, tried to see where he had seen Sokka’s face before. Apart of being a splitting image of his mother, Sokka was making a very familiar face but he couldn’t place it.

Meanwhile Sokka was, for the first time, truly listening to the stories. It painted everyone in a badass light that (for the most part) wasn’t true, at least day to day. The battlefield was another thing entirely, that’s where you were supposed to appear meaner than your opponent. Mai, Zuko and Suki were all mighty and formidable in daily life (only the public because Zuko became an awkward turtleduck when he had no one to prove himself to and Suki was funny and smart when not in warrior mode). Heck, even Ty Lee was terrifying in the battlefield and she didn’t have any weapons (that her weapons were her fists was an argument that Sokka was trying to win). He had an epiphany: his fear was hurting innocents and not being able to save those he cared about. It would take time to analyse the thought and even more to accept it, but it was there and it was a start.

He was lulled into sleep by his father’s voice, wincing a little when he mentioned him again, but finally fell asleep. Yue shined on him that night a little brighter and if Katara noticed she didn’t comment anything.

Novrak hadn’t quit even when they finished one of Team Avatar’s adventures. He wanted to know, and something was nagging at the back of his head. He tuned in for a second and smiled at the story. The chief hated that particular one with passion because he was hailed as a hero when he argued that he was just a man. He looked at the chief’s face and stopped breathing for a second. He had figured Sokka’s out. It was the face of a warrior when someone was hailing him as a hero and proclaiming his deeds. But what did it mean? He only had one thought: _Well, fuck._

He caught Katara’s eyes and understood the message being sent clearly even in the darkness. _Whatever you have realised keep it to yourself. I’m not telling anything and you better keep your mouth closed._

The night passed without incident, as did the next two days. The children kept their dynamic and the warriors were at loss at how to make them talk. They had to make a plan so that they couldn’t escape questioning. They reunited when the children were collecting firewood and they all agreed. It would be a simple plan, but effective for children and young warriors.

The next morning, they didn’t pick up camp, but waited till everyone had eaten and cleaned everything. After all this kinds of things are better with a full stomach.

Sokka and Katara were not idiots, and they knew that they had planned something, but they were not overly worried. Sokka had mentalized during the two days he was with Katara and was ready, or at least he thought so. 

“This is an intervention.” Bato was the one who took charge, and was surprised when Katara and Sokka didn’t react other than a raised eyebrow.

“Rules?” Sokka’s tone was neutral, and Katara’s face was almost amused.

“Sokka, you will be answering the questions unless Katara had nothing to add.” Bato then turned to Katara. “If you, Katara, have a different perspective of the events tell us, but only after Sokka.”

“And if I want to skip the question?” Sokka knew he wouldn’t do that, because he would have to dodge even _more_ questions, but it would be useful.

“You have to fight one of us. If you win you skip it, if not you answer it. You choose your first opponent.” Novrak was the one to say that rule and it had been deemed a good excuse to see Sokka’s progress as a fighter (the incident didn’t count because they hadn’t known the bandit’s level). What he didn’t know was that Sokka knew how to make them wary of him. By choosing his dad. Hakoda felt a shiver go up his spine and gulped not knowing why.

“Understood.” Sokka didn’t look worried even though he should. “But you can’t ask the same question twice, and can’t pose it in another way that if I answer I give away the same information Answered and unanswered.”

“That’s… fair, I suppose.” Bato was speechless, he knew that Hakoda had commented that his son knew a little etiquette, but never would he have thought that he would be good in politics.

“There’s one condition more.“ Sokka nodded at Tenaq to continue. “You have to use your sword, the one in your sheath, because someone _(coughVoakcough)_ wants to see it and doesn’t want you to stab him for even asking.

That complicated things, he didn’t want to use his sword (he was going to ask his dad for one or with his fists because Ty Lee taught him chiblocking), and that would be a dead giveaway and he wanted to have a little fun first. Katara couldn’t help him because she had announced that he was healed and cursed under her breath.

“And if he doesn’t?” Everyone looked at her in confusion and normally she would have felt intimidated, but after all she had done she just couldn’t be bothered to care. “Fight with that sword, I mean.”

“Let it be, Katara. It’s time.” Sokka’s voice was serious and Hakoda saw determination in those eyes. Somehow he felt intimidated. “I’ll do it.”

“And when they reach a question that you don’t want to answer?” Katara’s voice was firm. “What will you do?”

“I will fight.” Sokka unknowingly switched to his commander voice and the warriors surprised themselves hoping not to be picked to fight him.

“You know what will happen if you fight!” Sokka was the only one who heard the desperation in his sister’s voice.

“Yes, I do.” Sokka tried to reassure her. “But I’m not going to lose, Katara.”

“I know that.” The statement left the warriors a little unsure, and even more when she continued speaking. “But I don’t think you know your level, Sokka. I saw you improve with our team, fight against them and with them.”

“Yes, but...” Sokka tried to talk but was rebuffed.

“Oh spirits…” Katara laughed a little. “You just don’t realise how terrifying you are in a battlefield, don’t you?”

“I’m terrifying?” Sokka was surprised, but continued amused. “Then what are the ladies, warrior spirits?”

That made Katara laugh freely and Sokka followed, as if they didn’t care that they were in a pseudo-interrogation, and the warriors had even more questions.

“First question.” Bato spoke when the laugher died down, not wanting to stop them from laughing. “Tell us about your travels.”

“That’s not a question.” Sokka said matter-o-factly, and Katara snorted into her hand. The warriors would have to work hard if they wanted any information.

“Alright…” Bato thought for a little while and started simple. “Why did you leave the South Pole?”

“So that Katara would learn waterbending, and I wasn’t going to let her go alone.” Sokka smiled at his sister, and kept talking. “Of course there were other reasons, but that was the main one”.

Sokka knew that the warriors would be satisfied with that information and wouldn’t push as long as he kept his answers medium length, so he enjoyed making them seem like he was complying.

“Did they train her?” Bato felt a little stupid when Sokka raised his eyebrow at him, but gestured to Katara.

“They trained on healing, and then I bothered Master Pakku enough that he trained me.” Katara was proud of that and now most likely would win against him, but better not give his father a heart attack with that information.

“Next question” Sokka was having fun with it, and he was sure that they would realise it soon. And back and forth they went for a little while on basic things, such as the shock of seeing the Earth Kingdom for the first time, how did they fare with food and such basic questions that Sokka answered again. Finally they asked one question that he had to bullshit his way around it.

“You told us that Katara’s boyfriend would help you not seeing yourself as a monster.” Hakoda’s eyebrow twitched and wondered why that man wasn’t dead, because surely Sokka would have killed him if he treated Katara wrongly. He waited but sighed. Bloody rules. “Is Katara dating someone?” 

“Yes.” Sokka didn’t elaborate, but it was expected of him.

“How’s he called then?” Voak saw Katara jump a little startled, but he knew that they weren’t going to know. He was the only one apart from Novrak that had been writing the answers and had realised what he was doing. “Don’t worry, I don’t think we will know him.”

“He is called Twinkle Toes.” Sokka smirked and that’s when clicked.

“You are answering without actually saying anything!” Voak was surprised at that the rest had been so slow at catching on.

“Alright then, how have you played us?” Bato was curious, and Tenaq was beside himself.

“Strategizing.” Sokka was no longer hiding what he was doing, and the rest were a mix between amused and ashamed because they didn’t realise it.

“That’s not an answer.” Hakoda countered. “It’s too vague.”

“That’s not the rules, you said I had to answer, and I did. There were no rules about being vague. I answered the questions.” Sokka added more salt to the wound by looking at his nails, and Katara lost it. She couldn’t contain herself anymore. She laughed like she had no care in the world, and for a moment there wasn’t.

“You have been driving us in circles.” Sokka’s shit eating grin was the only answer they needed, and Bato snorted. “We were played by a sixteen-year-old. Unbelievable.” 

“How do you know the technique to do this?” Hakoda burned with curiosity.

“Experience.” Sokka’s smile kept expanding till it was a grin. The others just looked at the show between father and son.

“How do you have the experience?” Hakoda tried to make him answer, but it was hopeless.

“Traveling.” Hakoda groaned, and Bato patted his back.

“Trying to gain information about anything is like trying to pull off a tooth!” Hakoda saw Sokka’s smirk and gave up. “Alright, if anyone has any questions it’s your time.”

“I have one, if it’s no bother.” Sokka eyed Voak cautiously because he was pretty sure that he was going to manage to make a hit in the dark. He had that kind of luck.

“What’s the material of your sword?” Voak wanted to know! He loved swords and his dream was to see Team Avatar’s Strategist’s sword, but meanwhile he kept content with other’s. He saw Sokka’s mask crack a little and show momentary panic, and he didn’t understand. “Bone or metal?”

“None of those.” Sokka breathed out and almost sagged of relief, but he didn’t have the luxury.

“Then what is it made of?” Voak was really curious.

“At the start of the interrogation you all agreed that you couldn’t pose the question in a different way to gain the same information.” Sokka patted himself mentally on the back and smiled politely, not wanting to think on how close was that. As it was getting late, he got up and told everyone that he was going to hunt lunch.

Into the forest he went, aware that someone’s eyes were following him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are really appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bandit attack and some reveal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be the last chapter, but i had to divide it because it was too long.

Sokka needed to think, the interrogation had been too close for comfort, and he wasn’t going to lie to his tribe. He could drive them in circles all the times he wanted, but he wasn’t going to lie to them.

He needed to be alone, but the feeling of being watched intensified the more he went into the forest. At first he was sure that Novrak had followed him, but then he listened for the sounds of footsteps and found none, but heard the rustling of leaves. More bandits. He tried to lose them without making it obvious, but then he saw a fire nation soldier spear ahead. A village was nearby, probably terrorised by the bandits.

Sokka sighed, he wanted to have time for himself, not using it by kicking some ass, but if he wanted the village to be safe he needed to fight them. He heard the bulk of the bandits approach him and then recede, going into the direction of his camp. Sokka cursed under his breath, but he knew that the warriors could take care of themselves for a little while, and if it things came to worse Katara had proved again and again that she could handle herself.

He changed direction, going to a place where it would be feasible to hunt for food and also ‘hunt’ the bandits, and hopefully the Fire Nation Soldiers wouldn’t see anything.

He was thankful that he had lived in a camp full of ninjas that at the minimum noise they went into attack mode. Their techniques were very useful, because he sneaked towards the imaginary prey he had been ‘tracking’. He prepared to throw the boomerang to snap one bandit’s neck as painless as he could but a glint of metal caught his eyes and froze.

 _Trap_ , his instincts were screaming, just like they were in the Boiling Rock when Zuko helped him free Suki. It had been an easy escape when they reached the shore, because Katara was with them and she could waterbend them a bubble to go below the water just like in the Serpent’s Pass but without the serpent. Appa waited a little while away, in the prison’s blind spot. 

They almost didn’t make it, because the cells were marked incorrectly. They seemed to be in a pattern and Sokka’s gut was telling him that there was something wrong. They almost got captured by Azula, but finally managed to escape, Zuko regretting leaving Mai behind and not being able to free her and Ty Lee (fully integrated in the Kyoshi warriors) from Capital City Prison till the end of the war.

He shook himself off his thoughts and saw that the wire wasn’t strong enough to restrain most of the animals in this forest. Gears started turning in his head. This trap was making it seem like it was for an animal when it was clearly for a human. The prickling feeling in the back of his neck hadn’t receded and did a quick scan of his surroundings again. 

A bandit was up in a tree and another two were hidden by some vines, those he already knew, but there was one located ahead that he hadn’t noticed. Sokka connected even more dots. He was sure that whomever had planned this didn’t know who he was, but he also had a clear tactic. He had gone hunting alone and he could take care of himself, the only question was if his father knew that. The bandits had deemed him the weakest out of all of them (apart from his sister) and they wanted leverage. Wonderful. He should better get going and wait to hunt lunch with everyone.

He breathed in and out, gripping his trusty boomerang and feigned some throws. He felt the bandits tense, but he didn’t pay it any mind and threw his boomerang with a clear path in mind. That’s when the bandits chose to attack. Normally, a crouched opponent was an unstable one, but his legs had been chi-blocked enough times that he knew exactly how to fight like that.

He tripped the bandit that was ahead of him straight into the trap, that sprung up and incapacitated him. The one in the tree made a move to jump off safely, but the boomerang hit him by surprise and fell head-first, breaking his neck. The last two bandits charged with an enraged roar and Sokka stoop up and dodged at the last second and stuck a foot out. One man tripped and was impaled by his comrade, who was quickly put down.

“Well, that was boring.” Sokka muttered while retrieving his boomerang, and then his eyes widened. “Oh spirits, I just sounded like Mai!”

He didn’t have time to dwell on it much because there was rustle in the nearby bushes, and Sokka moved to a defensive position. The footsteps came closer and closer, till several Fire Nation soldiers appeared. Sokka relaxed but didn’t sheathe his sword.

“You’re…” The Captain’s eyes were wide with surprise and was a loss for words at the sight before him, a teenager with a sword as black as death.

“Team Avatar’s Strategist.” Sokka introduced himself and looked at them calculatingly.

“Lower your weapons!” Everyone did as the Captain ordered and bowed low following the Captains’ lead. “Might I inquire as to what are you doing here, sir?”

“I was hunting for lunch, but bandits attacked me.” Sokka was uncomfortable with the whole ‘sir’ thing, but Zuko had insisted in telling everyone that Team Avatar was under his protection and whoever hurt them would pay. Basically they were above everyone except him. “I must return to my camp, for they were going in that direction.”

“Can we do anything to help, sir?” The Captain asked. “We were hunting those bandits because they have attacked the village several times.”

“Bury the bodies.” The Captain saw how the boy was deliberately not looking at the bodies and it hit him how young the Strategist really was, but his eyes were determined. “I’ll take care of the rest; the bandits won’t hurt your village any longer.”

The patrol kept looking where the boy had disappeared to, thinking about how, in the village, children that age were expected to play and have fun, not fight in wars.

“Let’s bury the bodies, then we’ll see how we can help him.” The Captain was not going to disobey a direct order like that so they went to work.

Meanwhile Sokka ran towards the camp, not wanting to leave his tribe for long after he discovered the bandit’s plan. He climbed a nearby tree and moved through them in silence till he was on the edge of the clearing.

Both sides where glaring at each other, Hakoda with a hand on Katara’s shoulder so that she didn’t just explode. Sokka saw the leader holding his mother’s necklace and his blood boiled with rage. He knew that to steal the necklace the leader had to had been close to her, probably to strangle her or wanting her as hostage.

There weren’t many bandits, but the two groups seemed to be in a standoff. Sokka didn’t understand why, because his tribe could take them. Katara was looking intently at someone in the bandits’ team with worry, and Sokka felt dread creep into his stomach. He did headcount and he cursed in his head. Voak wasn’t there. He moved quietly above the bandits, still hidden by the branches of the trees.

His childhood friend was held hostage by two bandits a little apart from the main group. He could see he was a little beaten up but nothing else from his position. Sokka was worried, but kept a cool head as always. Voak probably had pushed Katara out of the way and Sokka wanted to hug him in thanks (and maybe let him see his sword, he deserved it).

He felt a rush of adrenaline but held himself back, because he had to plan this carefully. If Katara was the one captured, he wouldn’t plan so much because the Gaang had practised till they could free themselves instinctually while other members created a distraction, but with Voak he wasn’t so sure. He could kill the two bandits, but he wouldn’t have time to free Voak’s wrists, so he would be stuck defending him.

“Your time is running out!” Either you save the warrior, the child or the woman. “Sokka’s mind was working in overdrive, wondering where they were keeping the unknown child. “If you give me the woman I’ll be generous and let you have both men.”

Sokka saw his father’s shoulders slump, and Katara was surrounded by the warriors immediately. Voak shook his head minutely, hoping to put distance with the sword at his throat.

“I keep telling you, there’s no way that Sokka got captured.” Katara’s voice was tired and Sokka stopped in his tracks. His hypothesis was right; he was a bait. Although he resented being called a child. “And even if he was attacked, the bandits wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“Even Fire Nation soldiers are overwhelmed by my men!” The leader laughed cruelly. “Who do you think your brother is, the Strategist?”

The bandits laughed, but the leader stopped mocking her as a feeling of unease surrounded him when he looked at the woman’s serious eyes.

“You! Go and tell the others to stop having fun with the child and bring him over!” One of the men that held Voak hostage jumped when the leader barked at him. Then he turned to Hakoda. “My patience is running thin. Let’s see what’s your decision when you see both men with swords at their throats.”

“Yes, boss.” The man ran towards where the others were supposed to be and Sokka followed silently. When they were at a prudent distance Sokka struck. He grabbed the bandits’ sword, knife and spear and returned to his position above everyone. No one had moved, and that suited Sokka perfectly. He didn’t like spears very much in short distance combat, he preferred swords or knives, but when throwing he didn’t mind much. The spear was based in the same principle that his boomerang or throwing knives: angles. He aimed carefully and made his throw.

The atmosphere in the Southern Water Tribe was tense. They had one of their own (possibly two) at sword point and Katara was preparing herself for a fight. They had been told that she could handle herself, but they didn’t want to risk the life of their people.

Then everything froze for a second when a sound cut the air. A spear had just killed the man that was guarding Voak and a small knife had cut the ropes that bounded his arms. Voak didn’t waste any time and grabbed the sword that was at his throat moments earlier and made a mad dash towards his tribe.

“Who is there!?” The leader shouted enraged at seeing his hostage with his people and widened his stance.

“Someone you don’t want to mess with.” Sokka forewent his commander voice, which was strong and confident, made him to be in control, stable and raise the spirits of the people whom he ordered; instead he used his battle voice, which was cold and unforgiving, giving nightmares to whom survived an encounter with him.

Everyone froze on instinct, and for one moment Sokka thought that the bandits had some common sense, but they weren’t discouraged. Well, he had other ways to make them flee.

“Come and face us, coward!” One of the bandits shouted at the trees while pointing his sword.

“Very well.” He saw everyone shiver and squirm a little at his voice, calm and collected without a care in the world. The only other reaction was Katara, who was trying to hide her smile while she healed Voak.

There was silence for a couple of seconds and all hell broke loose. A figure fell down and landed in a graceful crouch with a sword in his hand and took in his surroundings immediately. The Southern Water Tribe didn’t recognise him at first for his mannerism and glare. There wasn’t any doubt that he was a predator, eyes scanning the people present, skipping over the bandits and stopping at their Tribe. His eyes stopped at Katara, and the Tribe was about to surround her, when the person’s eyes softened and a small smile graced his lips. Every members’ brain short-circuited, because then they recognised Sokka.

Katara smiled at her brother, and his Tribe now understood how she could believe that Sokka wouldn’t be ambushed. The fight started and Hakoda saw in fright how all the bandits charged at Sokka. He was about to enter the fight to help his son, when Sokka laughed and moved lightning quick. In the blink of an eye he had stabbed two bandits in the stomach, broke one neck with his boomerang and tripped another to fall into his own sword.

Hakoda’s mouth fell open as he saw how this sixteen-year old was toying with the bandits, so much that he approached the leader, nicked him in the neck while stealing back Katara’s necklace.

“Where’s your camp?” Sokka’s voice made the tribe to take several steps back, but the bandit didn’t have survival instincts, because he spat towards Sokka. Sokka evaded several swords and stopped the spit with his sword and he glared at the leader, who took several steps back in fright. Sokka suddenly changed, before he was scary, now he became _terrifying_. The look in his eyes was of a man that would do whatever he needed to keep his family safe and Hakoda now knew how Sokka could consider himself a monster. Then Katara moved one hand and the bandits were encased in ice and Sokka snapped out of his battle stance, turned back into a sixteen-year old teenager and ran to hug Katara and helped her put her necklace on.

“Any trouble?” Sokka asked gently.

“Only convincing dad that you weren’t in danger.” Katara’s tone was amused while she played with her necklace. “Where’s lunch?”

“They ambushed me before I hunted anything.” Sokka’s tone was annoyed. “And then I returned to see how were you doing, because the bandits were going in your direction.”

“Did you have to come?” Katara was annoyed too. “I can take care of myself and we could be preparing lunch by now.”

“I know, my dear, but can you blame me for worrying for my tribe?” Sokka’s voice was placating and it worked.

“Sokka…” Hakoda called his son, trying to find words to express what he was feeling. Sokka hugged Katara again and approached him, nothing like the confident man that he had demolished the bandits, but as a scared child. Sokka was scared of something, and Hakoda didn’t have to be a genious to know why. He was afraid that he would be feared and pushed out of the tribe, he didn’t want to see fear or disgust in their faces. He was afraid that he was a monster. Hakoda’s heart broke a little at his son’s face and hugged him hard. Voak, who was still a little shaken because of his brush with death, hugged and didn’t let him go for a long time.

“Thank you, Sokka.” Voak muttered in the younger one’s ear while trying to reconcile the image he had to the warrior that he had seen minutes ago.

Katara also got a hug that lasted a little longer than normal and Voak was reluctant to let go, but Sokka’s glare made him do it quickly. Sokka was being hugged again by Hakoda and Bato, but suddenly he tensed and ran to put himself between the trees and his tribe. He put a hand in the pommel of his sword and waited. Katara went to his side and uncorked her water stash, preparing herself.

A Fire Nation patrol appeared from the thick of the trees and Sokka put a finger to his lips, signalling silence. The Captain connected the dots and nodded once to show compliance.

“Who are you?” The Captain was looking at the bodies with disgust.

“We are the Southern Water Tribe.” Hakoda answered, going next to his son. “Those bandits attacked us.”

“We have been trying to dissuade them from attacking us for a long time.” The Captain signalled at the bandits and kept talking. “Those last ones were a thorn to our side. We thank you for getting rid of them.”

“You’re welcome.” Hakoda answered, trying to see what would evolve from here. “They messed up with the wrong people here.”

“I’m sure of it.” The way the Captain said it raised alarms in Bato’s head, because it was not left for argument. Novrak didn’t notice that, but noticed the way Sokka was tensing and didn’t like it one bit. “The village is grateful. The Mayor wishes to offer you housing and food for the night and healing supplies in thanks.”

“Thank you.” Hakoda took the opportunity with both hands. They had been avoiding any villages they encountered and they needed to buy supplies soon, so this would be a good opportunity. “We accept.”

“Very well.” The Captain smiled and signalled them to follow him. “My men will bury the bodies.”

They packed quickly while the Fire Nation soldiers worked and they set out towards a village that wasn’t far ahead. They arrived to the Mayor’s house and the Captain whispered something on the Mayor’s head.

“Welcome to the village of Xi Whun. I’m Mayor Maza.” The Mayor approached them and bowed a little. “We thank you for getting rid of the bandits. Shezu will guide you to where you will be staying.”

“Thank you for your hospitality, Mayor Maza.” Hakoda bowed in a firm manner. “We won’t bother you for long. Tomorrow morning we will resupply and be on our way.”

“You are welcome to stay as long as you need.” The Mayor was looking at Sokka intently, who bowed his head in thanks. “I’m sure you will be need to freshen up. If you like, Shain could guide the Lady to separate rooms so that she can have privacy.”

“Thank you, Mayor Maza, it will be greatly appreciated.” Katara bowed her head and followed Shain, who bowed low and went to show the Lady the guest room.

The Southern Water Tribe watched as Sokka didn’t react and even bowed his head in thanks before following Shezu, who bowed too. They knew that she could take of herself, but…

“Sokka would raise hell for whoever that even thinks of hurting her.” Voak didn’t look worried, because the tribe seemed to have forgotten the way Sokka had played with the bandits.

“We wouldn’t even dream of hurting _her_!.” The indignant tone of the mayor confused everyone, and his next words even more. ”Our lives would be forfeited before we could touch a hair of her head.”

The tribe was still mulling over the words when they arrived at the guest bedrooms, that had a common bathroom. They freshened up while Sokka, who hadn’t even started, was talking in hushed whispers with the servant. Sokka smiled and nodded and the servant bowed again and left the room.

“They are being generous.” Bato commented while taking off his shirt. Hakoda’s eyes were glued to his partner’s back and almost groaned, but he remembered that his son was present and swore inside his head. At least they would have separate rooms and he would…

“What the hell?!” Voak’s shout shook Hakoda out of his daydream and saw Voak pale like a ghost. Hakoda was going to approach him to see if he was alright, but Voak ran towards Sokka, who was also pale. 

Sokka wasn’t an idiot, he had known that Bato and Hakoda were together and had given them privacy by turning around, and was smiling as his dad watched Bato as if he was his whole world so entranced that he made a mistake. A mistake that could cost him everything. He had started taking off his shirt. That in itself wasn’t incriminating, but he had preferred to wash in the river with a shirt and Katara dry it afterwards. The reason were his scars.

The water tribe warriors had known that too, but on the other end of the spectrum. They thought he was ashamed for not having a lot of scars, but in reality he didn’t want them to see how many he had.

He lowered his shirt quickly, thanking the spirits that it was only Voak who had seen it and he could blame it on a trick of the light, but looking at his tribe they knew that it wasn’t possible. Voak was looking like he would faint at any moment and Sokka knew that he didn’t look that good himself.

“Voak, please, don’t ask questions now.” Sokka’s voice was pleading, but he needed to last till dinner, because Mayor Maza had invited Katara and himself to dine with him and it was impolite to decline, and if he started explaining they wouldn’t finish at dinnertime.

“I don’t think that’s a possibility Sokka.” Voak was terrified and the warriors noticed. The sheer fear that exuded his next words confirmed it “What happened to you?”

“Everything and nothing.” Sokka’s eyes were hard. “I’ll answer after dinner, I promise. Just… keep it a secret until then.”

“I will, Sokka, I promise.” Voak’s eyes were scared of what his closest childhood friend had been through. “But I’m having nightmares about that for a long time.”

“You’re not the only one…” Sokka muttered, but Voak heard him and went to give him a hug that lasted several minutes.

“Alright, so you will tell us after dinner.” Bato noted and, knowing that Sokka wasn’t going to say anything more if he didn’t want to, kept cleaning himself, feeling Hakoda’s eyes on him all the time. “Then let’s get ready for lunch.”

With Katara, something similar was happening. Shain helped her undress, but when she saw Katara’s back gasped. She couldn’t fathom how a fourteen-year old girl could get those scars. She was so young… and yet had fought in a war.

“Lady Katara, the wife of Mayor Maza, Lady Ayale, has sent a dress for you to wear for dinner. We need to try it on and adjust it to your liking.” Shain looked at the woman in the bathtub and felt pit for the child’s scars. She knew that the seamstress would have to do a lot of work, because it was a backless dress. 

“The Lady is giving me a dress?” Katara was soaking in the water, happy to be surrounded by her element. “Why?”

“You are invited to dinner, and your brother accepted but mentioned that you didn’t have appropriate clothing, so the Lady took it in her own hands. Your brother is also getting them, but he is going to the seamstress later in the day.” Shain was surprised at the Lady’s surprised face. “If you want we can do it now, when you finish your bath.”

“I’m already finished, Shain.” Katara felt the woman’s eyes in her scars but she didn’t mind. She stepped out of the bathtub and waved away the towel while drying herself with waterbending. “The earlier we do it, the more time will have the people adjusting the dress.”

“Very well, Lady Katara.” Shain jumped when she realised that the Lady had remembered her name and smiled. “We will start now.”

Sokka, for his part, had managed to manipulate Hakoda in giving them some time to explore the market and village, so he took the opportunity and went to the seamstress and adjust the formal clothes that the Mayor had sent him. He felt the seamstress freeze at his scars, the same for a guard that entered after.

When he was done he joined Katara and talked with her about how Voak had seen his scars and that he had promised to talk to them after dinner. Lunch was a quiet affair and Voak didn’t stop looking at Sokka in hesitant way. Novrak noticed and wondered what had Sokka done now, but he would find after dinner. The warriors trained in the evening, and this time Sokka joined, after all he didn’t have nothing to hide.

He smiled when he beat Novrak and Tenaq at the same time, and he grinned from ear to ear when he beat Bato and Hakoda in a spectacular way. The warriors were hesitant to fight the youngest member of the tribe, because he exceeded everyone. Bato and Hakoda together were an unbeatable team and Sokka beat them in less than ten minutes, and they were sure that he held back.

“You needn’t have bothered.” Katara was watching in the sidelines and with a movement seven ice soldiers surrounded Sokka, who smiled maniacally. The Southern Water Tribe watched in a trance how Sokka decimated the ice soldiers, which had an impossible level. Sokka’s sword started to blur and they couldn’t stop watching.

“Thanks, Katara. I needed a good fight!” Sokka, when he finished destroying the dummies, stretched and started a fitness routine that left the warriors speechless, Katara joining her brother. The warriors started their own, still in shock over how Sokka and Katara running rings around them. They finished training and wondered what surprises would be waiting for them.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The reveal you have been waiting for.

When they returned to the rooms they went to freshen themselves and Sokka chose to go with Katara, less risk of flashing the scars to someone. Voak was enough, thank you very much.

“Are you sure, Sokka?” Katara was concerned about that night, and Sokka noticed.

“I am, today training with them felt liberating.” Sokka was happier than he had been in a long time. “I’m ready, it will be on my terms. Thank you, Katara.”

“For what?” Katara was truly confused.

“For letting this reveal go at my pace.” Sokka looked into Katara’s eyes, trying to convey how much had meant for him.

“You’re my brother, Sokka, and I love you. Of course I wouldn’t force to do something like that.” Katara hugged Sokka hard and joked “Besides, I’m not exactly thrilled to tell dad what have we been doing. We will give him nightmares.”

Sokka laughed along, but still knew that it was a very real possibility. They finished bathing and they went to Katara’s room and kept joking around, knowing that tonight would be decisive. A knock was heard and Sokka opened the door expecting to see Shain and Shezu with their clothes, not their dad.

“Sokka, Katara, I need to tell you something important…” Hakoda entered, seemingly nervous and sat down, Bato popping his head inside the room, keeping himself outside. Katara smiled, knowing what were they going to say, and Sokka just raised an eyebrow in question, making his dad squirm.

“How important?” Katara asked, trying not to laugh at the situation. They knew that Bato and their father were together since the second they arrived, because they were sleeping cuddled together, plus the looks they were giving each other when they thought they weren’t looking.

“Very important.” Bato said, trying to not let his nerves show. He finally found the courage to enter the room and sit besides Hakoda, far closer than he would have done normally in public.

“You see…” Hakoda’s palms were sweating and he could swear the room was moving below his feet, and had to grab Bato’s arm to try and stabilise himself. Katara put a hand on his forehead and the dizziness passed immediately.

“Dad, if this is about you being in a relationship with Bato, we knew from the start.” Katara relished in the surprised face that the adults were sporting.

“Yeah, I mean, you were cuddling the day we arrived and then there were a lot more clues.” Sokka smiled and hugged Bato. “Welcome to the family, although we always considered you one of us from the start.”

Hakoda didn’t know why he kept being surprised, he really didn’t. He felt relieved and happy, knowing that the secrets ended today. His children were observant and ready for any setback. Well, almost anything. Hakoda was shocked that, when a knock on the door was heard, his children’s faces filled with panic, in an expression that they had never seen. They looked at each other in a _oh fuck_ manner and it would have been funny if the panic look wasn’t sent towards them. Sokka approached the door hesitantly and only opened a little.

“Sir, the Mayor has sent us with the clothes.” Shain said, while signalling Shezu to not knock on Sokka’s room. “Do you need assistance?”

“No, thank you.” Sokka bowed his head a little in thanks. “Give the Mayor my thanks and tell him that we will be there shortly.”

“Of course, Sir.” Shezu gave Sokka both bundles. “Dinner starts at 8 o’clock in the private dining room.”

“If you need indications just ask any servant.” Shain and Shezu bowed to him before he closed the door. “Till this evening, sir.”

Hakoda and Bato glanced at each other, wondering what was happening there, but Katara’s small talk made them forget till Sokka appeared with two bundles in his arms and put them on the bed.

“If we ask you aren’t going to give us a straight answer, are you?” Hakoda was resigned and he knew that his son wasn’t going to let any information out.

“I am never straight, so you better ask Katara if that’s what you want.” Sokka said flippantly sitting on the couch, and Katara chortled. “What? We are going to tell them the big secret tonight and this is a minuscule thing in comparison!”

“Only you, Sokka.” Katara laughed. “Only you.”

“Well, I wasn’t expecting that.” Hakoda’s face was a poem and he hugged his child close. “You are very brave telling us this.”

“But if the secret you are going to tell us is bigger than this I think I’m going to need something stronger than tea.” Bato laughed and hugger Sokka too.

“Tea can be very strong is you find the right blend, and it also can…” Sokka started ranting and Katara stopped him.

“Ignore him, his boyfriend is obsessed with tea and…” Katata smirked at Sokka’s reaction.

“Zu… he is not my boyfriend!” Sokka blushed and cursed Katara because he almost gave Zuko’s name away.

“Whatever you say, Sokka.” Katara had a smile of the cat that got the cream and she laughed at her brother.

“You will tell us after dinner, won’t you?” Hakoda saw his children nod. “You aren’t having dinner with us then.”

“How…?” Katara started asking, but Hakoda smiled at his child.

“Because if you were you wouldn’t mind talking during dinner.” Hakoda smiled and Sokka leaned back on the couch.

“Touché, dad.” Sokka smiled and looked at the time. Half past seven, they had half an hour to get ready.

“Tell us later?” Bato was curious.

“You will probably guess.” Sokka smiled at both adults while gently ushering towards the door and closing it behind them with a sigh. Then Hakoda’s mildly threatening voice was heard through the door.

“What are you doing here?” Sokka cursed and opened the door, knowing what he was going to find, and he was correct. Hakoda and Bato were glaring at Shain and Shezu, who were stubbornly looking at them with suspicion. Wonderful.

“They gave us the bundles, dad.” With that last word, the servants stopped looking suspicious and Bato nodded, but Hakoda wasn’t entirely convinced.

“And why they haven’t left already?” Hakoda didn’t want to see his children hurt and he hadn’t forgotten how the Mayor had looked scandalised at the suggestion that they would hurt Katara. He wanted to protect his daughter and the reaction was suspicious.

“We were waiting to see if they had questions of the use of what we gave them.” Shain understood the situation perfectly and hoped that the Strategist would follow her lie.

“And what have you…” Hakoda was interrupted when Katara’s voice called Sokka.

“Sokka, is Shain there?” Sokka almost kissed her sister, her timing was perfect. “I need her assistance.”

“If you excuse me.” Shain bowed her head at the adults and a lower one to Sokka. “I’m coming.”

“May I ask where are your clothes?” Shezu asked, foregoing the ‘sir’, knowing it wouldn’t be appreciated in this situation.

“In my sister’s room. I can wait till she is finished.” Sokka prayed to every spirit that his dad didn’t ask questions. Fifteen minutes of uncomfortable silence later, Katara’s door opened and Sokka had to make a note to himself to glare at everyone who even glanced at his sister.

“You look beautiful.” Sokka kissed Katara’s forehead while inspecting the dress. He wasn’t going to let her be ogled by anyone. It was a long vaporous dark blue dress, with long sleeves with wave patterns. He noted that she had a shawl hiding her scars and he nodded satisfied. “I’m going to have to work very hard to shoo away suitors.”

“The Mayor has assured that everyone will be in their best behaviour and if the Lady is uncomfortable, the responsible would be kicked out.” Shain put to rest Sokka’s head, but set new alarms in Hakodas’.

“I’m going to change.” Sokka entered the room with only ten minutes till eight o’clock. He changed quickly, not even sparing a glance at his scars and he adjusted his sword and boomerang and did a once-over.

He exited the room and offered a hand to her sister and they followed Shain and Shezu to the dining room. They didn’t even notice that Hakoda and Bato had not believed their eyes when the warrior had escorted Katara. Sokka looked regal, with an aura of power around him and Katara looked every inch a princess. They had a lot of questions but they went to have dinner with the rest of the tribe in the common area that connected all their rooms. Voak asked about the children but Hakoda told them that they would probably be late.

Hakoda felt as if time had paralysed. He couldn’t think about anything, only counting the minutes till his children’s return. At half past nine he started pacing. At ten o’clock Bato had to distract him dragging him not so subtly to their shared room. Fifteen minutes later Hakoda started pacing again. At half past ten Bato had restored to drag him again to their bedroom. At eleven o’clock Bato was getting worried too. At half past eleven the tribe, who had by then gone into panic mode, made rough plans to go and find the children. At that time Voak also kept reminding himself of Sokka’s scars and he hoped that his childhood friend hadn’t got himself into something he couldn’t handle. At twelve o’clock they were arming themselves, Hakoda being the exception because he already was ready. At twelve past five there was a knock at the door and everyone froze.

Hakoda almost blew the door off its hinges to see Sokka and Katara tired but in good health. Hakoda hugged them hard not letting them go.

“You almost sent me into an early grave!” Hakoda was covering the children, so when he retired the warriors couldn’t believe their eyes. Sokka and Katara looked like nobles with the fine clothes, but they looked dead on their feet. The second they were inside they plopped on the couch with a groan, not caring for anything.

“This is the last time you let me handle politics alone.” Sokka muttered with his eyes closed. “It was one of the worst experience in that field so far. He wouldn’t shut up!”

“Well, at least you weren’t stuck talking about silk and dresses!” Katara was drained. “Well, also I healed some people and she gave me space, but the rest of the time? I wanted to disappear.”

“Both of us, Katara, the both of us.” Sokka sat upright and looked at every member in the eyes. “One question today and the rest tomorrow, please. We are going to fall asleep at any moment.”

“I’ll start.” Voak didn’t care if the chief had preference, he had waited enough. “Scars, show them.”

The veterans were going to open their mouth to say that it was a personal matter, but the fear in Voak’s face and his reaction in the bathroom made them close it. Sokka grudgingly stood up, but Katara stopped him and went first.

”I’ll only show you my back.” Katara was uncomfortable and Hakoda wanted to say no, but she turned around and took off her shawl. Everyone’s thought process stopped and couldn’t stop looking. They were everywhere, small and big, deep and not so deep. Hakoda wanted to puke, her daughter wasn’t a warrior and yet had the scars of one. Warriors were supposed to defend people and Katara was a civilian so she shouldn’t have to enter a battlefield. She was also a healer, and that meant that she might be needed in the battlefield but this…

Voak couldn’t breathe. He had some battle scars, no warrior was exempt of them, but Katara had more than anyone except maybe the chief and probably Bato. Katara waved a hand and a tendril of water opened the window, letting so much needed air inside and she approached Hakoda and sat him down on a chair because he was swaying dangerously. Voak saw how the Chief touched her daughter’s back, still in shock.

Hakoda felt the scars below his hand and couldn’t believe it. _I’ll only show you my back._ Only show you… She had more scars that she wasn’t showing. Hakoda didn’t want to see Sokka’s scars, but he had to, he owed him that much.

“Please, Sokka, tell me that your scars are not like hers.” Hakoda let go of Katara and she put the shawl on again, while Sokka breathed in deeply.

“They aren’t like hers, but I can’t say they’re better.” Sokka saw the blood being drained of his father’s face and he felt guilty, but he had promised no more secrets, and if he had to start from his scars then so be it. He ordered those who weren’t sitting down to do so, and when he was relatively sure that no one would hit the floor he took off his shirt in a fluid movement. No one moved.

If Katara’s back had been horrific, Sokka’s front was even more so. He turned around slowly, letting everyone see all his scars. Hakoda didn’t waste any time and started touching them. Sokka allowed it without a flinch, but when Hakoda was about to touch one in the enter of his stomach a hand stopped him in a flash.

“Not that one.” Sokka’s tone was normal in war veterans when being stuck in a flashback, and Katara seemed to understand because she hugged him hard. Hakoda could say without a doubt that his child was a warrior, dodging icebergs be dammed. Bato was the next one, and everyone till Voak, that hugged him hard for the second time that day.

The children claimed sleepiness and they were allowed to leave, while the Southern Water Tribe tried to digest what they had learnt. Hakoda laid down to sleep, and dreamt of Kya shouting at him that he failed to protect Katara and Sokka. He dreamt of the torture that his children had gone through to get those scars, him on the sidelines paralysed. Like his son a day ago, he woke up screaming.

The next morning the tribe looked like they didn’t have had an inch of sleep and, when Katara and Sokka appeared through the door they couldn’t supress a shiver of what they would learn today. They greeted them with more caution that normal and Sokka hugged Voak. 

“Sorry, I should have told you earlier.” Voak held him from his shoulders and looked at him in the eyes seriously.

“What should you have told me earlier?” Voak was having nervous breakdown after nervous breakdown and he didn’t like it, thank you very much. He had always thought that Sokka and him would fight together, but knowing that he had been hurt and he wasn’t there to protect him…

“You are going to find out.” Sokka was serious. “I only hope that won’t hate me for keeping it a secret.”

“Because that puts my mind sooooo at ease.” Voak felt uneasiness pool at his stomach, and Hakoda was echoing his feelings. The chief went next to the balcony, wanting to see if being there would help him a little.

“Now, you all kept wondering what exactly was our role in the war and this is the day you get to know.“ Sokka started. “And we should have told you a lot earlier but I wasn’t ready, and we should have searched for you the second the war finished, but Sparky needed help controlling his staff and not get himself assassinated, so we stayed and…”

“Sokka.” Hakoda called and when his son shut up he continued. “You’re rambling. And who’s Sparky? You have mentioned him earlier.”

“Sparky is someone that fought with us. I thought I had gotten rid of rambling when I’m nervous…” Sokka rubbed the back of his head and laughed a little. Katara was smiling indulgently at him.

“You did a good job, but I don’t know if I trust you with politics if that’s how you’re going to be.” Hakoda laughed, trying to dispel the tension. Sokka gave him a tentative smile.

“Well, let’s start. The truth is… NO!” Sokka threw his boomerang, but arrived too late. Hakoda fell to his knees in shock and the man that had stabbed him from behind in the stomach laughed.

“Firelord Zuko sends his regards.” The man laughed and went to exit to the balcony but Sokka manhandled him to be face first to the wall.

“You are going to work hard if you want me to believe that Zuko sent you.” Sokka’s voice had turned lethal and the warriors couldn’t fault him. Katara ran towards Hakoda and turned him to lay on his stomach. She didn’t waste time and ripped his shirt while starting the healing process.

“Katara, that wound is too deep, it can’t be healed…” Hakoda felt how her daughter ignored him and kept healing him.

“I won’t believe it till I have done everything that I can.” Katara was seeing Zuko’s and Aang’s scars. “I have healed far worse wounds.”

“Now, who sent you.” Sokka was interrogating the assassin.

“He told us that Firelord Zuko was responsible, there’s not much to find.” Voak said, disillusioned with the war hero..

“I’m not believing it. Not unless someone had put him under the metaphorical ostrich-horse.” A scream ripped the air and Sokka asked again in a fake sweet voice. “Now, I can do far worse, and we don’t want that, do we?”

“Sokka…” Bato was hesitant at calling him, because Sokka clearly didn’t believe that the Firelord was responsible. “Why don’t you believe him? He was forward enough.”

“Why don’t I believe him?” Sokka’s voice had turned dark, as if he was saying a blasphemy. “Why I don’t believe this piece of _filth_?”

Sokka moved far quickly than anyone could see. He turned the man around and punched him in the face repeatedly. Novrak saw what the others couldn’t. He saw a man doing what he had to do because he wanted to know what had happened. There was something behind his desperation, something else that he could only link with a loved one.

“I’ll ask again, who sent you?” Sokka’s voice was calm, and that was scarier than if he were shouting. Sokka was dangerous but he wasn’t torturing because his father was hurt (not entirely), but because he wanted to know the truth about it.

“You don’t scare me.” The assassin was saying the truth. “I have been trained not to speak even if they torture me.”

“Oh, trust me, I can do much worse than measly torture.” Sokka’s eyes held a promise, and the assassin felt fear for the first time in his life. Time to see if his reputation was as feared as Voak made it to be. “I won’t stop till you tell me who you are working for.”

Bato had focused on the assassin at first, but seeing that Sokka had it in hand he went to Hakoda’s side and held his hand. Novrak and Tenaq had moved him to the couch under Katara’s supervision and he wanted nothing else than to hug him. It seemed that he hadn’t lost any blood, because there weren’t any blood stains on the floor. He saw how the wound was healing at a very fast rate and he couldn’t believe it.

“What the fuck?!” Novrak wasn’t normally very vocal, so Bato just _had_ to turn around. A second later he wished he hadn’t. Well, at least Hakoda was in good hands.

Sokka had unsheathed his sword, a sword black as death. Now at least they understood why he didn’t think the Firelord responsible of sending an assassin against Hakoda.

“This will be the last time I ask you. If you are smart you will take it.” Sokka’s eyes were almost black, reflecting his sword and the assassin soiled himself. “I don’t have all day.”

“He didn’t tell me you would be here.” The assassin regretted accepting this job, he was a dead man for sure. “He didn’t tell me it would be you!”

“Oh, but the Firelord knows who my father is and he would never do something like this, so you answer me now or you’ll start losing limbs.” Sokka moved the sword towards the assassin’s hand, who tried to break free of Sokka’s vice-grip. “I’m losing my patience.”

“Councilman Maizo! It was Councilman Maizo!” The assassin shouted terrified and Sokka’s sword stopped just an inch from his hand. The assassin sighed in relief for a second. Sokka closed his eyes and sighed too. He knew councilman Maizo, he had never liked him and he didn’t want to think the possibilities. The assassin fell dead to the floor and before Sokka could clean his sword a tendril of water cleaned it. Sokka sheathed his space sword and ran towards Hakoda. Long gone was the warrior, because resurfaced the child.

“Councilman Maizo always gave me bad vibes, he benefited from the war, its normal that he wanted to continue.” Katara frowned when a concerning thought appeared. “What if he does it with the other leaders?”

“He won’t.” Sokka’s voice was sure, and at Katara’s questioning look elaborated. “King Kuei has the Dai Li.”

“Yes, the Dai Li are the elite but…” Katara was interrupted.

“We managed to storm into the palace, but the assassins don’t stand a chance. After the war, King Kuei offered me to strengthen his security, no one will be reaching him in a long time.” Sokka continued as if he hadn’t dropped another bombshell. “And if you attack a Tribe is like attacking the other. It would make more sense attack the weakest because of lack of numbers. It’s not probable that Councilman Maizo risked hiring two assassins, but I’ll send a letter to Chief Arnook to warn him.”

“So… how do you know all those people?” Hakoda hadn’t moved from the couch. “By the way, why I’m alive? That wound was deadly.”

“Katara is a miracle worker.” Sokka said simply. “And she has experience with those kind of wounds.”

“Don’t overdo it.” Katara blushed. “I’m sure that there are more capable healers out there.”

“What the fuck…” Voak still hadn’t recovered, and the rest of the Tribe finally had all the pieces of the puzzle.

“Well, at least we know why you wanted to disappear when Voak was in rant mode.” Tenaq laughed freely, and Voak blushed hard. Little Sokka had future.

“I’m still lost.” Hakoda was starting to get annoyed. “Why do I feel like I’m missing something? Can I get up now?”

“Yes, but you need to stay seated.” Katara oversaw the process, looking for any discomfort. “If you are hurt you will tell me.”

“Don’t worry, I’m fine. Better than before.” Hakoda joked, not noticing the tribe’s shock.

“Oh, spirits.” Voak groaned and put his head in his hands in embarrassment. “Why did you all let me rant?!”

There was some tentative laughter, but looking nervously at Sokka, who was amused. Bato coughed into his hand, and Hakoda waited for the joke.

“I thought you would be mad at me for not telling you.” Sokka was unsure and Voak noticed. Strategist or not, Sokka was still his best childhood friend. He hugged him hard, understanding most things but not believing everything.

“I’m not, I understand. Heck, I would have done the same thing!” Voak smiled at him, but put a face, that Sokka knew well.

“You want to hold my sword, don’t you?” Sokka laughed at the guilty expression Voak made. “Don’t worry, I understand. Here.”

Hakoda didn’t register anything out of normal till he saw the warriors’ eyes fixated on Sokka’s sword, now in Voak’s hands, that held it with reverence and like all his dreams had come true. Then he registered the sword, black as death. Hakoda’s brain connected the dots and fainted.

“Dad!” Katara and Sokka were at his side in an instant, fretting. Katara woke him up easily and Sokka ran through the process of knowing if he was alright.

“I’m fine, although I had a weird dream.” Hakoda rubbed his forehead. “Voak’s ramblings about the strategist are affecting me.”

Sokka coughed in his hand while evading eye contact and Katara kept checking him, almost laughing.

“Eh…” Voak was still holding Sokka’s sword, and he just passed it to Novrak not so subtly. Novrak had a panicked look and passed it to Tenaq, who passed it to Bato. And so, an impromptu game of pass-the-sword started till it reached Sokka.

“They didn’t affect you, although they caused me to want to disappear.” Sokka decided that it was time to bite the bullet. “It was impressive, not even Aang could talk that long without breaks.”

“Wha…” Hakoda saw the sword and had to pinch himself. “It wasn’t a dream?”

“Nope, sorry.” Sokka leaned towards the wall, seemingly apologetic.

“You beat Mater Piandao, the best swordsman of this era.“ Hakoda started.

“Yep.”

“You planed the Invasion.” Novrak’s eyes widened at Hakoda’s words. “Plan that we followed.”

“Yes.” Sokka’s voice didn’t let anything through, but Katara knew that it was one of his worst mistakes.

“You invented the submarines and the googles.” Bato was transported to Voak’s rants and understood Hakoda’s questions.

“Yes.”

“You invented the war balloon.”

“Actually no, I just made it usable.” Sokka pointed out. “The Mechanist had the prototype.”

“You beat a combustion bender with your boomerang.” Hakoda kept going.

“Uh, yes…?” Sokka started to get uncomfortable.

“You made the plan to escape the Boiling Rock, Fire Nation’s highest security prison.”

“Yes.”

“You sneaked into the Firelord’s warships and broke your leg.”

“Yes.” Sokka couldn’t stop the flashback that came with that sentence. He fell to the floor, screaming and calling for Katara, Toph, Aang, Suki and Zuko. Katara was there in an instant, trying to calm him down. She hugged him while he cried and let all the trauma out.

The tribe were hit with the reality of what happened. Children were fighting a war made for adults, and none of them left unscratched. Hakoda wanted to puke, he knew that his children had passed bad times, but the legends had to have some semblance of truth.

Sokka fell asleep short after, Katara caressing his hair. A knock was heard and a voice asked something that they couldn’t hear. Katara left Sokka in the couch and approached. Sje opened the door and came face to face with a guard.

“My apologies to bother you, Lady, but we heard screams. Is everything alright?” The guard looked around looking for threats. “Can we do anything?”

“Yes, please.” Katara’s voice had taken a strong edge. “Could you please get rid of the body? He tried to kill my brother.”

“Of course, Lady.” The guard called another and they both entered. When the body was out of the room the guard stopped and turned around. “May I inquire for your brother’s health?”

“He will heal with time.” Katara nodded in thanks and closed the door. She shook her head and went to the table and started writing letters.

“It may not be my business, but what are you doing?” Hakoda was hesitant.

“I’m writing Chief Arnook to be vigilant.” Katara finished the letter. “And I’m also writing Zuko, he needs to know what that Councilman tried to do.”

“Do you know how weird is it to see you using the Firelord’s first name?” Bato was still trying to wrap everything around his head. Then he had a realisation. “Wait a second. You fought Princess Azula in the middle of Sozin’s Comet?!”

“Yes, I did.” Katara wasn’t sucked into the memory because Sokka turned around and called her. If not she might had done the same as her brother. “Zuko took the lightning that was meant for me and after I beat Azula I healed him.”

There was silence till she finished the letters, and she laughed a little. The tribe jumped, still trying to comprehend their role in the war.

“Alright Voak, start asking questions.” Katara smiled. “I know you are dying to know more.”

“I…” Voak couldn’t believe it, he could ask everything he wanted! It was a dream come true, but then he saw Sokka’s reaction to a single sentence and bit his tongue. It was clear that they weren’t over the trauma, and if he was honest, neither was he. “I’ll wait, I don’t mind.”

“Wait for what?” Everyone jumped when Sokka spoke, rubbing his eyes. “And what happened?”

“You had a flashback and some guards came to clean the body.” Katara told him gently, and gave him the letters. “Here, I wrote the letters in the meantime.”

“Thanks.” Sokka smiled and read them quickly. “Alright, now the only thing we need is a messenger hawk.”

“We can ask the Mayor for one.” Katara suggested, but Bato intervened.

“I don’t think that would be necessary.” Everyone looked where the man was pointing and saw a messenger hawk with a letter.

Sokka approached and read the letter, face darkening at every word. He gave it to Katara without speaking and started muttering to himself. Katara put one hand in front of her mouth and gasped. The siblings looked at each other and the warriors knew that something was up.

“I’m not going to like whatever you have decided.” Hakoda didn’t have to see the guilty looks appearing in their children’s eyes.

“We need to go to Caldera City Royal Place immediately.” Sokka sighed. ”There has been to many assassination attempts and Aang is getting worried. Suki, Mai and Ty Lee can only do so much, and Toph is on her way.”

“How are you going to get there before us?” Bato was truly curious, although he would prefer no more shocks for now.

“We just call Appa.” Katara said like it was the most normal thing in the world.

“Who is Appa?” Voak’s eyes were shining gleefully at the prospect of more information.

“The Avatar’s sky bison.” Katara answered, not wanting to give too much. His father seemed at one shock away from a heart attack.

“Katara’s boyfriend’s sky bison.” Sokka added, while Katara turned around and punched him in the arm. “”Ouch, you have been spending too much time with Toph!”

“Sokka, we had agreed no more heart attacks!” Katara was looking worriedly at Hakoda, who was trying not to shout into the void. Her daughter with the Avatar? It could have been worse, and if Sokka trusted the man…

“Sorry, you didn’t need to get violent, woman.” Sokka muttered quietly and blew the whistle.

“I need a drink…” Hakoda sat up, but a water tendril appeared.

“Absolutely not! You are not getting up! You still need time to heal.” Katara didn’t even flinch when Hakoda glared at her. “Please, save your glare, I’m immune.”

“Now, Voak, are you going to start ranting again when we are on the road or have you learnt your lesson?” Tenaq joked while the tribe laughed.

“You aren’t going to let me forget this, are you?” Voak crossed his arms in an attempt to seem angry that failed spectacularly.

Suddenly, a roar was heard in the distance and Sokka all but ran towards the balcony. To the horror of the tribe, he jumped, but landed in the bison’s head giving him a hug in true Aang fashion.

Katara didn’t bother to pick up anything, just gave the letters to the messenger hawk and one to Bato directed at Mayor Maza. The children hugged the tribe goodbye and as suddenly as they came they were gone, Sokka’s last words hanging haughtily in the air.

“Now with all that you know, you can finally answer but I’m letting you time to think till we see each other again.” Sokka’s face was serious. “Am I a monster?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment, it motivates me a lot. I have more ideas for this series and I will try and update son, but COVID-19 is rearing back its head over here and it causes me really bad anxiety. Apart from that I have exams. Thanks for the understanding.


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